Strained Relations between SDA and DF: Meeting on Government in KS Cancelled, DF Wants More at FBiH Level

The meeting that was supposed to be held today between the delegations of the Coalition DF and SDA regarding the distribution of ministries in the Government of the Sarajevo Canton has been cancelled, confirmed for the Patria agency from the Democratic Front.

Also scheduled for today is a meeting of the delegations of SDA, DF and HDZ BiH regarding the formation of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and as Emir Suljagić, a member of the Presidency of the DF, told the Patria agency this morning, it is likely that the formation of the Government of the FBiH will take longer due to the unrealistic demands of HDZ BiH, which is asking for a minimum of six positions.

The DF will demand the same number of positions in the Government of the FBiH, and as stated, they will no longer make concessions like they did in the case of the Council of Ministers of BiH. This means that under such a scenario, out of 17 positions in the Government of the FBiH, the DF and HDZ BiH would get 12 positions, while the SDA would get 4 ministerial positions and the prime minister. However, the number of votes won in the General Elections clearly shows that the SDA had a larger number of votes than the DF and HDZ BiH combined, 275,728, while the DF had 128,058 and HDZ BiH 118,375. Therefore, the demands of HDZ BiH to get the largest number of positions are not clear when the SDA should get that.

It is obvious that the formation of the government at the FBiH level directly affects the level of the Sarajevo Canton and that relations between the SDA and DF have become strained. Whether this involves a collapse of the coalition if the emerging problems are not overcome will become clear very soon, given that the session of the Assembly of the Sarajevo Canton is scheduled for March 6, when the confirmation of the new Government of the Sarajevo Canton is announced.